The Smackdown: Rome vs. Paris - The People: People In General & The Women

Rome vs. Paris The People - Part 1 & Part 2

(Editor’s Note: As usual I’m running long so this is going to be in installments. Part 1 & Part 2 are below. Part 3 - The People I Met will be next week, I'm off for Easter.)

People In General

The demeanor of Parisians and Romans is representative of their cultures. The Romans are more demonstrative in both body movements and voice, while the Parisians are more formal and reserved. Even if you don’t speak the language, a small example of their style is displayed in ordinary conversation. When two Italians are speaking you think something EXCITING is about to happen. When two Frenchman speak you think something IMPORTANT is going to happen. For the most part neither comes to pass...but they are equally pleasant people.

In Rome, my mom and I enjoyed the pizza (& vino) so much at the restaurant where we had dinner on Thursday, we returned on Saturday night. When we walked in the door, our waiter from Thursday remembered us, told us it would be a short wait, but not to worry he would make sure we were seated as soon as a table became available. He checked back every few minutes giving us a updates with a smile. We stood in the small lobby and the owner, stationed at the front door, was sure to exchange pleasantries with us as we waited...even though he didn’t speak English. We could see into the area where they were making the pizza and even the cooks flashed welcoming grins. After we were seated and finished off our pizza and more wine, I asked the waiter for the check. He laughed and joked with me: "The check? But you haven’t seen the dessert menu yet!" What added to the festive mood, something I think is representational of a real family place like this one, was the singing of Italian classics by a group of 20 or so in the back of the place. Young, old and in-between, were singing badly and loudly. They really enjoyed themselves and didn’t give a damn what anybody thought.

While I was treated like a long lost brother in Rome; conversely in Paris I was the very familiar stranger. My room key was metal like your house key. I thought it was for a jail cell it was so big. It had a placard about the size of a deck of cards attached to it with the room number written on it. Because I didn’t want to lug it around, I turned it into the desk for safekeeping whenever I left the hotel. In the course of my travels, I must’ve turned the key in 2 dozen times. About half those times, the girl behind the desk was the same one who checked me into the hotel. We always said "Bon Jour" and both said "Merci". But even though I’d been through this key exchange routine with her 10 times, it always seemed like it was the first time I ever walked into that hotel. Not once did she ever smile or say "Are you having a nice time?", "How’s you’re day?", "Do you need extra towels?". Nothing. If I asked her directions, she always answered succintctly in English. Offered nothing more, nothing less. Let’s just say I don’t think she was going to the back of French restaurants belting out old French songs with her buddies after a glass of wine or two too many.

Now in our "TGIFriday’s/Happy, Happy Birthday" existence, many Americans, would interpret her as rude. I never got that feeling. She was very pleasant, but just to the point and very French (aloof) in her interaction with customers.

Winner: TIE Both Groups are very nice. They each have their ways.

When visiting Europe I have always tried to learn a few basic phrases (Hello, good bye, please, thank you, excuse me, where is and most importantly Do you speak English...) I really think the attempt at using the host language put you in better standing with the locals. Therefore, I have had nothing but positive experiences with everyone I met in Paris and Rome. This was true in Prague as well, but the Czechs enjoy the reputation of being the friendliest people in Europe, so they might’ve just been nice all the same.

The Women

The Parisian women are very skinny, not always in a good way either, and have features that tend to be longer and sharper like Sarah Jessica Parker. The Roman women are definitely cuter in a Sandra Bullock sort of way. Softer features with dark hair and dark eyes over fair to olive skin.
Attention to fashion seems to be a priority with the French women. It was cold when I was there and they all wore overcoats cinched at the waist that accented their figures. More importantly, most all of the Parisian women wore these sexy, knee-high leather boots. Black or brown over their jeans or with a skirt, it didn’t matter the rest of the outfit, the boots were there giving even the least attractive girl a little something. Meanwhile the women in Rome tended to be a little more Euro-trashy. They had cute faces and figures, but the 1983 Madonna get-ups needed an overhaul.

Winner: Split decision. The best outcome would be one of the cute Italian girls putting on one of those overcoats and a pair of those knee-high leather boots.

The Smackdown: Paris vs. Rome - The Food

Paris vs. Rome - The Food

(Editor’s Note: I think one of the most laughable groups around today are people who call themselves "Foodies". People who claim to have "sophisticated palates" and prefer only "fine dining". These are the same goofballs who were once "wine connessiuers". The vast majority no longer claim that title because they know that in a blind taste test, 99% couldn’t tell a French Vintage from $3 Buck Chuck if their life depended on it...and they don’t want to risk the embarrasment of being outed as having an "unsophisticated palate." So they’ve moved on to criticizing food to satisfy their elitist needs. So this food review is coming from a guy who falls into his own group: "Eater." And all the food I will talk will fall into 2 categories: "It tastes good" or "It tastes bad". For emphasis, the words "really", "very" & "fuckin’" can be inserted in various combinations before "good" and "bad", but "Good" & "Bad" are the continuum on which all of the food will be based. So if you are interested in the "layering of flavors" "inctricacy of the technique", or "molecular gastronomy", you may not want to read further.)

Category 1

Breakfast
In Rome and Paris you can get pastries and coffee in the morning in of host of little stores scattered around the city. What vaults Paris way ahead of Rome in this category is that in Paris you can easliy get the pastries right in the shop where they are made. These little bakeries are everywhere in Paris. In Rome I could only find places where it was obvious they had thier pastries dropped off and coud’ve been there for a couple of days. There are few things better at 8 in the morning than your choice of piping hot croissants or pastries filled with fresh cheeses and jellies. But my favorite was the one where they baked chunks of chocolate into the bottom of the pastry. Coffee and chocolate in a great combination. I had at least 2 of those things every morning I was in Paris.
Winner: Easily Paris
Rating: Very Good

Category 2
Lunch
I didn’t really sit down for Lunch, but the menus in both Paris and Rome looked very similar to there Dinner menus, so I’ll review them there.

Category 3
Walking Around Food
In both Paris and Rome you could pop into an eatery on the street and get pizza or a baggette that were pretty good. It was enough to keep you going during sightseeing. What was great about both places is that they wrap it up for you so you can walk and eat. What gives Paris the big edge in this category is that on every corner they have creperiees or other food shops that set up stands where they make crepes for you. You can get ham and cheese in a fresh crepe in Paris. It was cold when I was there, so getting a hot ham and cheese on a crepe was fantastic. In Paris they also had these little Greek restaurants that did one of the oddedst things I ever seen...but it wound up being really good. The have a slab of meat that’s about 2 feet long (I’m guessing it was lamb), rotating on a skewer in the window. The Greek guy then takes some sort of electric tool and shaves the meat off the slab into little pieces. They then pile of bunch of it into baggettes and cram a bunch of French Fries into the sandwhich and that’s how you eat it.
Winner: Paris
Rating for Baggettes/Pizzas: Good
Rating for Ham & Cheese Crepe: Really Good
Rating for Shaved Lamb & Fries Baggette: Really Good

Category 4

Dinner
Okay, this is where the fisticuffs can start. This reactions are visceral when it comes to people defining their love for French or Italian cuisine. I must admit that I love Italian food. I even had Lasagna at a place called "Mama’s" one night while I was in Paris. But to be fair I sat down and had Beef Burgundy at a little bistro behind the hotel. It was good. I examined a bunch of other menu’s at the other bistros around the area, but none really got me excited to eat. I’m sure they were fine, but not necessarily worth the effort. In Rome, I had pizza, fetucinne bolognese, lasagna and veal scalopione. Every dish, no matter the reaturant, was fantastic!!! If I had one meal to eat before I die, it would be the pasta with bolognese sauce followed by pizza funghi in Rome.
Winner: Rome in a Trouncing!
Rating for Beef Burgundy: Good
Rating for All Italian Dinners: Really, Fucking, Good!!!

Category 5 -

Sweets
The Romans just throw down the gauntlet in this category with the Gelatto. They had gelatto in Paris also, but it couldn’t compare to the gelatto in Rome. Let’s face it there is nothing better than ice cream...except gelatto. But the Parisians have all of the bakeries and you can get fresh eclairs, brownies and cookies any time of the day. I would give a slight edge to the gelatto at this point. But to settle this we have to go to the Nutella. Nutella is a creamy chocolate/hazelnut spread. It’s made in Italy, but available in Paris too. While Italians spread it on a number of things, what gives Paris the edge in this category is that those creperies have as one of their options: Crepe with Nutella. You get a hot, fresh crepe and that melts the Nutella and creates almost a little Nutella pop tart. Melted chocolate on anything is ridiculously good. I was addicted. I had at least 2 of these per day and had to tell myself no a couple of times in order to walk by the creperie without buying one.
Winner: Paris but both are Really, Fucking Good.
Rating for Gelatto: Really, Fucking Good
Rating for Eclairs, Brownies & Cookies: Really, Fucking Good
Rating for Nutella on Crepes: Really, Fucking Good

Overall Winner:

Rome
Even though Paris won more categories, I have to give the edge in The Food category to Rome because the dinners were just way too good. But if you have a real sweet-tooth, Paris is your place.

The Smackdown: Rome vs. Paris - The Sights

I have recently visited two of the greatest cities in the world; so it begs the question: Which is better Paris or Rome? Lovers of each city can hardly fathom that I would even consider the other city over their beloved. And they are both right. Neither is better, because both are fantastic. However, each has their advantages and strengths. So here I present to you: "The City Smackdown: Paris Vs. Rome!" This is my categorical breakdown of The Sights, The Food, The Nightlife, The Women, The Intangibles, Etc..

(Editor’s Note: I thought I could do this in 1 entry, but it got too long. I’m going to do it over the course of a couple of entries over the next few days. Then, for those interested in a little historical perspective, I’m going to end this whole thing with an entry I call "Your Money & Your Morals - The Roman Influence". Plus I will post some more pictures as well, so please check back druing the course of the week.)

Paris vs. Rome: The Sights

Category I - The "Big 3" for Each City

1) The Icons -

The Eiffel Tower vs. The Colosseum
Rome trounces Paris in this one. The Eiffel Tower just seems contrived. It is great to see from afar and I guess it offers a great view of Paris (I didn’t want to wait in line to find out), but is overwhelmed with tourists, has NO chararcter or historic significance and offers no real architectural appeal. (The bridges in Paris are better sight and you get a great view from the Arc de Triomphe.) While The Colosseum is also overwhelmed by tourists, all it has to offer is worth any of the annoyances. It is an absolute architectural wonder, especially since it’s construction wasn’t matched for about 2000 years, it oozes history and really seems like it’s alive. You almost expect a gladiator to walk by you at any moment - and I’m not talking about one of those fat, old Italians who pose for pictures outside either! Finally, The Colosseum is one of the most beautiful sights in Europe when seen at night with its perfect lighting.

2) The Most Famous Museums -

The Louvre vs. The Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel
Paris strikes back on this match-up and handily defeats Rome. This is not a knock The Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel, which has wonderful statues, tapestries, atniquites and of course the famed paintings of Michelangelo on the ceiling The Sistine Chapel. Our tour took about 2.5 hours from the front door until we exited thru the rear of the Chapel, and I think we basically did and saw most of what we could. However, The Louvre is enourmous. I believe you could go 8 hours per day for a week straight and not feel like you’ve seen everything. The Louvre has 5 wings (I think it’s 5) that are all larger than The Vatican Museum. You can really get a running history of the world from the pieces that range from the artifacts of the Ancient Egyptians through the beautiful paintings of the Renaissance. Ironically, The Louvre has a better display of Italian Masterpieces than Rome. In addition, The Louvre is an architectural masterpiece that is impressive on the inside and out. Now I wish they would just get rid of that damn Mona Lisa!

3) The Most Famous Religous Buildings -

Notre Dame Cathedral vs. St. Peter’s Basilica
This one is closer, but Rome takes it when comparing these two buildings. From the outside, Notre Dame is extremely impressive. It’s scale is intimidating and if you told me a hunchbacked guy lived in one of the bell towers I would believe you. It’s gothic features, flying buttresses and soaring position above The Seine make it an attraction worth visiting. However, instead of inspiring you upon entry, as you would hope a religous building would, it’s cold, hard, stony interior and lack of light make the place more scary than inspiring. Meanwhile, St. Peter’s is absolutley beautiful inside and out. Once you are in the vicinity of the Vatican, St. Peter’s wonderful dome peeks above and around other buildings in the area and beckons you. The colorful murals, sculptures, most notably Michelangelo’s La Pieta, marble floors and soaring columns on the inside are true marvels. In addition, the historical significance of it being the resting place of St. Peter and other popes make it a place of pilgrimage for all Christians. Some find it spiritually uplifiting to be there, but I was more in awe than inspired, but that in no way detracts from its appeal.

So Rome gets the edge in 2 of the categories of the Big 3 Challenge. But to be fair, each city is more than those 3 things, now let’s take a look at a couple of other catgories:

Category II - Most Spiritual

Sacre Couer vs. San Pietro in Vincoli
San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter In Chains) is a basillica in Rome that houses the chains which imprisoned St. Peter in Jerusalem and the chains that shackled him later when he was arrested in Rome. Legend states that when both sets of chains were presented to Pope Leo they miraculously became joined to form 1 chain. There is also a famous Michelangelo sculpture of Moses here. To me this was the most moving religous building I visited in Rome. However, the clear winner is Sacre Coure (Sacred Heart) which is the most spiritually uplifiting and peaceful place I have ever visited on earth. On the ceiling there is a mural of Christ with his arms wide open welcoming you. Your eyes go to it immediately upon entering the basilica. It is set on a beautiful ocean blue background and I sat in a pew and stared at it for a half-hour straight. It was completely mesmerizing. I went late on a Sunday night and the tranquility you feel inside Sacre Couer is remarkable. Even more remarkable in that it is on the outskirts of Paris in a neighborhood that can be quite seedy at night. One of my goals in life is to attend Midnight Mass there.

Category III - Common Attractions

The Pantheon in Paris vs. The Pantheon in Rome and The Arc de Triomphe vs. The Arch of Constantine/The Arch of Titus
All of thes sights are fantastic, however when comparing you have to give the edge to the originals in Rome. Those sights in Paris were modeled after the ones in Rome.

At this point, Rome has a slight lead with a marginal win in "The Big 3" and a solid victory in the "Common Attractions" comparisons, but Paris stays close with a narrow defeat in "The Big 3" and a big win in "Most Spiritual".

Category IV - The Other Places

However, what gives the overall edge to Rome in The Sights category is the fact that Rome has so many treasures stationed around the city. Other cities around the world would consider these their greatest attractions, but they are secondary tourist options in Rome. Piazza Novona, The Spanish Steps, Circus Maximus, The Roman Forum and Trevi Fountain are just a few, but there are also dozens of other piazzas, museums, churches, sculptures and historically signifcant ruins that are scattered about Rome. Paris, or any place else in the world, can’t match the sheer volume.

Winner: Rome

So if you are a traveller most interested in seeing the sights, Rome is the clear winner.

The Sights and The Secrets

This writing is of early Sunday evening. I have covered all of the major sights in Rome. The Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pallatine Hill, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. The common element for all is each is grander than the pictures. Just like I can tell how great the pizza is, you won't really know until you taste it. The same is true with the hallowed Roman attractions - I could try to describe them, but no words can relate how impressed you are when you see them. But I'll try to give some highlights:

* St. Peter's Basillica is more Egyptian monument than church. The vastness of the space, height of the interior columns, boldness of the colors, (highlighted with rich gold accents) and the fact that a bunch of dead popes are lying around make it the most impressive structure I've ever visited.

* The Colosseum lives. You feel as if the crowd is going to roar at any moment.

* Trevi Fountain is enormous. It can not truly be captured in pictures. The sound of the running water makes it even more compelling.

* The Pantheon is a great contradiction. The outside with it's Roman writing, large weather-beaten columns and nicked-up exterior make it look like Fred Flintstone built it. But the inside is timeless. As opposed to other religous buildings, the inside is not overwhelmed by tribute. The marble floor and a few sculptures and murals tastefully decorate the ground level while the famed concrete ceiling with the graduated rectangles is a style that transcends any era.

But while all of the aformentioned attractions are a must-see, what makes Rome so fantastic are The Secrets it hides. One of my favorite things to do is walk in cities at night. The best time is as the city tucks itself in. A few people, fewer cars. There's just enough noise to let you know it's still breathing and just enough quiet to let you collect your thoughts. During these walks is usually when I compose my thought for these blogs. Moreover, during these walks is when Rome reveals it's secrets. Secrets you weren't asking about but were given when you dared to get close after everyone else went home for the night. Rome's secrets are the lesser known churches, piazzas, fountains and ruins that unexpectedly appear as you explore. Turn a corner and you're stopped in your tracks as a spectaclular structure stares back at you lit in a way only Europe knows. These are small treasures, like finding a $5 bill in your jeans after you pull them from the dryer, that just make the city more impressive . If you ever go to Rome, take time to search for the secrets and it'll show them to you when you least expect.

Day 1 - The Coolest Guy In The Room

My Take On Rome

If the great cities of Europe got together for a party, Rome would be the coolest guy in the room. Cool, calm and confident in the fact that he's, well....Rome. The other cities would sense it and try to impress him. Paris would say "We have a magnificent Catherdral that's over 1000 years old called Notre Dame."

"That's cool," Rome would respond in a self-assured, mildly cocky way. "We have St. Peter's Basillica, which is about 1500 years old, and the Vatican too - which is where the boss of the guy at Notre Dame lives. If you're ever in Rome look me up and we'll check it out."

"We have Wembley Stadium which is considered one of the great sports and entertainment venues of the modern-day world," London would offer to the conversation in hopes of impressing. "We have hosted The Spice Girls in concert and David Beckam playing football."

"Hey I've heard of that," Rome would counter. "We have a pretty cool place like that too. It's called the Colloseum. It about 2000 years old. I mean we've never had Posh and Becks, but guys used to fight lions and tigers in there. A couple of million people a year still visit...and nobody even plays there anymore. So if you're ever in Rome look me up and we'll check it out."

Here's the problem for Paris & London if they ever visited Rome. The Brit would wind up passed-out drunk on the couch and the Frenchman would storm off, pissed off about something...and Rome would wind up with both of their girlfriends. Why? Well because he's Rome...and women can't resist the coolest guy in the room! (Io capisco! hahaha)

The weather has not cooperated on Day 1. It's overcast and cold with itermitent rain. I planned to go to the Colloseum today, but nixed the plans because of the weather. Intent on not letting the day go to waste, I set about surveying the area around the Colloseum and Forum, which are not too far from our hotel. Unfortunately, the rain came down near the Circus Maximus, and we still had a hike back to the hotel. Through the cold wind-driven rain, I mushed my mom like I was Yukon Cornellius and she made it back only slightly weathered. She's a tough bird.

One of the true treasure of Europe is the out-of-the-way alleyways that have great little places to eat and have a drink. To make up for sludging her through the rain, I bought my Mom dinner at a little Ristorante in one of those alleyways behind our hotel. We both had pizza with a paper thin crust that was delicious. They gave us liter of house wine that drank like grape juice. It was just the tonic we needed to warm up from the mini-Iditarod and fuel ourselves for tomorrow's adventure at The Vatican and St. Peter's Basillica.